Love their tool boxes. Overall though, it's not too hard to tell what item is a bargain and what item is waste of money.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
for anything requiring precision (e.g., torque wrenches)

I saw a review/comparison a couple years ago by an independent tool site and the result was they were for all practical purposes... OK.
They preformed within a few percent in accuracy as the name brands costing multiple times as much.

That's (presumably) when the tools were new. How about holding up over time and used hard every day? Besides, I have a particular need for a torque wrench to also measure angular displacement.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
That's (presumably) when the tools were new. How about holding up over time and used hard every day? Besides, I have a particular need for a torque wrench to also measure angular displacement.

For working on flux capacitors?

^^^ For that, you'll need to measure capacitance coupling.

Torque-to-yield fasteners are everywhere.

quote:

Torque-to-yield fasteners are everywhere.

Yep, you'll appreciate the angular displacement measurement when torquing cylinder head bolts on a V8 engine with half of it under the windshield, or a Subaru with the engine still in the car.

I needed to buy some chain binders a couple years ago and wanted to avoid China. I had to shop around a bit but I was able to buy from a local retailer that sold CM McKinney made in USA chain binders. I figured I didn’t want to risk a 30,000 excavator flying off the trailer. If I’m not mistaken I paid $90 a piece for the USA product vs $35 for the Chinese equivalent. Not an insignificant difference but worth the price to avoid an accident that could cost someone their life.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
That's (presumably) when the tools were new. How about holding up over time and used hard every day? Besides, I have a particular need for a torque wrench to also measure angular displacement.

Even the highest quality torque wrenches require calibration on occasion, especially if you are doing certifiable work.

Just saying... Wanna rotate your tires? Do a brake job? The HF ones are fine for the average home gamer 99% of the time at fraction of the cost.
If you require, need, just want and can afford/justify one or are perhaps just a tool snob who only buys tools off a traveling truck or you make a living with one, sure, I'd absolutely move up in quality myself!